NURS 3731 Course Packet 21

NURS 3731 CLINICAL JOURNAL FORM

1. Overview of clinical experience: Today I was in the nursery and was able to care for a couple
babies! I loved being in the nursery and working with the nurse to complete the care that was
needed. We gave baths, placed babies under warmers, assisted in feeds, and did assessments.

a. Identify nursing skills and competencies observed/utilized for the day

-Newborn head to toe assessments
-Educated new moms on proper feeding
- Assisted in feeds
-Took newborn blood sugars
-Placed babies under the warmer
-Changed diapers

b. Identify 2 appropriate nursing diagnoses that were utilized

1 Risk for newborn hypothermia
2 Risk for newborn inadequate feeds

2. Describe the most significant event or learning experience of the day that you either
observed or participated.
This was my first time in the nursery so before today I didn’t have much experience with newborn
care or newborn head to toes. The nurse really taught me a lot and allowed me to get as much hands on
experience as I could. She walked me through each step of the assessment, and we went over the norms
for each system. I feel much more confident with assessing newborns after today.

3. Identify course and clinical objectives and describe how you met those objectives for the
day. See course packet for specific community site objectives.
-Implement effective interpersonal skills with childbearing family members, women
clients and their families, peer, and health team members. I was able to talk with mom
and educate her on proper feeding techniques with the nurse.
-Uses the nursing process to formulate a plan of nursing care, which incorporates holistic
health care needs of the childbearing family and women throughout the life span. We
identified a decrease in the newborn’s temp and made a care plan to increase temp (placed
under warmer)
Integrate relevant evidenced-based nursing research into the planning & implementation of
nursing care for childbearing families & women. Learned about care and assessment in
lecture and was able to implement it today.

4. Evaluate your day’s clinical experience

Overall, my time in the nursery was very educational. I learned a lot and was able to get tons of
hand on experience with newborn care!